Reuters Science News Summary

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

SpaceX to build $100 billion Starship ​rocket complex in Louisiana

SpaceX unveiled plans on Tuesday to ​build its largest rocket launch complex yet in ‌southern ​Louisiana, a $100 billion effort to transform coastal wetlands into a critical base for the company's Starship and AI satellite launch ambitions. The 125,000-acre (50,585-hectare) site on Pecan Island, which SpaceX named Starbase Louisiana, ‌is an expansion of the company's Starship launch operations beyond South Texas and those planned for Florida as its next-generation rocket remains in late-stage development.

New NASA telescope to probe dark energy, dark matter and exoplanets

NASA is preparing to launch its next flagship space observatory, one ‌that scientists plan to use to investigate some of the universe's biggest mysteries including dark energy and dark matter, while also ‌testing gravity at vast scales and hunting for planets beyond our solar system. The launch of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, a roughly $4 billion project, is planned for Sunday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with the observatory to be lofted into orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. The ⁠launch comes ​nine months ahead of schedule, according ⁠to U.S. space agency officials.

Isar Aerospace secures 200 million euros from European Space Agency

German rocket startup Isar Aerospace has secured about 200 million euros ($233 million) from ⁠the European Space Agency (ESA) under a programme aimed at boosting Europe's launch industry, the company said on Thursday. The funding comes as European governments ​seek to increase launch capacity to reduce dependence on SpaceX, which dominates the global market, and to secure independent access ⁠to space for civil, commercial and defence missions.

Roaches to the rescue: Australian scientists develop cyborg cockroaches for medical missions

A swarm of giant cockroaches may sound like ⁠the ​stuff of nightmares, but Australian researchers say the insects could one day be used by search-and-rescue teams to deliver lifesaving drugs to people trapped after disasters. Scientists from the University of Queensland and the University of New South Wales have developed paramedic cyborg ⁠cockroaches, dubbed "paraborgs", equipped with miniature injection devices and cameras.

Satellite firm Astrum Space to go public in $1 billion SPAC deal

Astrum Space said ⁠on Thursday it will go ⁠public through a merger with special purpose acquisition firm Black Spade Acquisition III in a deal valuing the satellite communications company at about $1 billion. Investor interest in the space sector has surged following the ‌Nasdaq debut of ‌Elon Musk's SpaceX, boosting optimism about the pipeline of space and satellite ​companies seeking to go public.